Private equity firms continue to invest big money in the oil patch, and that is good news for Texas energy lawyers.
William Toles Moves to Fee Smith
A trial lawyer with 15 years of experience and more than 75 trials under his belt, Toles joins the trial boutique firm Fee, Smith, Sharp & Vitullo in Dallas as a partner. Toles, who is a former assistant Dallas City Attorney, focuses his practice on commercial and business litigation, personal injury, professional and premises liability litigation.
Scott Schwind Joins Jones Day as Houston Energy Partner
An expert in the Latin American and African transaction markets for oil and gas, Schwind advises clients with upstream, midstream and downstream deals both in the U.S. and around the world.
The Texas Lawbook interviewed Schwind, who is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, about trends in his practice to discuss cross border oil and gas transactions and why he joined Jones Day.
Wilson Elser Adds a Former Investigative TV Reporter & a Higher Ed Expert to Dallas Office
Valeri Williams and James Sears Bryant have two things in common: they both have non-traditional legal backgrounds and they both recently have joined a New York Firm’s Dallas office.
Former Energy Dept. Senior Advisor Joins Gardere’s Austin Office
Erika Benson, formerly with Patton Boggs and Troutman Sanders, was a lawyer at DOE’s Office of Policy and International Affairs.
Texas AG Asks That Life Partners Holdings Be Run By Receiver
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has sued Life Partners Holdings, Inc., and its subsidiary, Life Partners, Inc. for violating the Texas Securities Act by allegedly selling unregistered securities to investors and has asked an Austin judge to appoint a receiver to oversee the Waco-based company’s financial operations immediately.
Scott Carlson Named DART's New General Counsel
Carlson was a member of DART’s board of directors for almost a decade before becoming the new GC.
Jones Day Leads Tokyo Electron in $252 million Surface Preparation Deal
For Dallas M&A partner Scott Cohen, this is the four major transaction in the semi-conductor industry this year.
Houston Jury: Celanese’s $1.3 Billion Contract with Southern Chemicals is Valid
The $1.3 billion contract between Dallas-based Celanese Corporation and Houston-based Southern Chemical Corporation is valid and will continue until the agreement terminates in 2015, a Houston jury ruled Friday.
The dispute dates back to 2005, when Southern made a deal with Celanese to supply Celanese with methanol until 2015 – the year the acetyls producer expects to have its own methanol plant up and running.
Port of Houston Authority Wins Six-Year Contractual Dispute
The Texas Fourteenth Court of Appeals on Thursday reversed an $18.6 million judgment against the Houston Port Authority in a six-year contractual dispute with Zachry Construction Corporation. The justices also awarded $10.6 million in legal fees for the Port Authority and its legal team, led by Vinson & Elkins.
“The decision of the Court of Appeals upholds the contractual terms agreed to by sophisticated contracting parties and allows the Port to protect the public’s funds with contract provisions that provide certainty as to the dollars that the Port will owe under the contract,” says V&E appellate partner Marie Yeates.